44 



Poa wheeleri Vasey (Wyoming Bluk-grass, fig. 17).— Sleuder stemmed; 10 to 24 

 inches high ; basal leaves numerous ; panicles close or looser m age. This buuch 

 grass is valuable as jiasture, but, like the i)rt'ceding, would be more so if it 

 oftener descended into the lov\-er altitudes of the foot hills or the plains. Cen- 

 tennial Valley, .July 2 (3290) ; Battle Lake, August 17 (4049). 

 Graphephorum muticum Scribn. (?).— A handsome grass, with broad green leaves; 

 rather large stems, 2 to 3 feet high; head a close, nearly cylindrical panicle, 



3 to 6 inches long. Probably 

 very rare; secured but once. 

 Battle Lake, August 16 (4012 

 and 4013). 

 Panicularia americana MacM. 

 (Keed Meadow-grass; Tall 

 Manna-grass). — Stems stout, 2 

 to 4 feet high ; leaves large and 

 abundant ; the panicle ample, 

 loose, and sjireading, 6 to 12 

 inches long. This very hand- 

 some grass thrives on wet bot- 

 tom lands and in the shallow 

 sloughs that border our streams. 

 Its forage value is much under- 

 estimated, for not only can im- 

 mense crops of it be produced, 

 but the quality of the hay is far 

 above the average ordinarily 

 secured from wet lands. Evans- 

 ton, .July 24 (3871) ; Woods Land- 

 ing, August 7 (3907). 

 Panicularia borealis Nash (North- 

 ern Meadow-c;kass). — Stem 

 weak, moderately leafy, 2 to 

 several feet in length, some- 

 times rooting at the nodes in 

 the mud at the bottoms of the 

 ponds in which it grows; pani- 

 cle very long and open, soon 

 naked through the early disin- 

 tegration of its spikelets. Of 

 no economic importance, for it 

 occurs, so far as my observation 

 goes, only as scattering speci- 

 mens in deep, clear, fresh-water 

 ponds. Johnson's ranch, August 

 8 (3936); Grand Encampment, 

 August 13 (3986). 



Panicularia nervata Knntze (Nerved Manna-GRA.ss, fig. 18).— Soft, succulent 

 leaves and stems, rather weak, 2 to 3 feet high ; usually as a scattering growth 

 in partly shaded bottom lands, but sometimes in considerable abundance in 

 wet open meadows. It is greedily eaten by stock, but as a hay grass it probably 

 lacks weight and substunce. North Vermilion Creek, .Inly 19 (3769); Woods 

 Creek, August 9 (39').")); Cooiter Hill, August 22 (1405). 

 Panicularia nervata stricta Scril>n.— Similar to the preceding, but smaller. Of 

 small economic ini|Mirtance, as it oceiirs only as scattering specimens in the 

 bioKen s<iil of tlie rit<'k b;mks. ( 'olorado- Wyoming line, .Inly 22 (3818); (irand 

 Encampment Creek, August 13 (3979;. 



FiQ. 17.— AA'yomiiig Blue grass {Poa wheeleri) : a, empty 

 glumes; b, c. florets. 



